Signal means for typewriters



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,392

R. SEIDELINGER SIGNAL MEANS FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Oct. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 171G. I

WITNESSES R 7 ,kJ INVENTOR: Q AM Am I fi abwseukzm ez M By I ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 18, 1928.

- 1,695,392 R. SEIDELINGER SIGNAL'MEANS FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Oct. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HQ I . INVENTOIi: Roheflehielmger,

Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOBIE SEIDELINGER, OF PHILADELI'HIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL MEANS FOR TYPEWRITERS.

Application filed October 28, 1926. Serial No. 144,690.

riage nears the end of its traverse to indicate the safe limit of a typed line.

Signal means of the kind mentioned are often objected to as being noisy and it is toward obviating such difliculty that my inven tion is, in part, directed. This end I secure through provision of an electrically operable visible signal'in association with means for controlling the circuit in which said signal means is interposed.

My invention is further concerned with provision of an auxiliary signaling functional to apprise the typist when the end of a sheet is reached, thereb to prevent overlapping lines incident to s ippage of the paper, and soiling of the platen roller as often occurs when the end of the sheet is unintentionally advanced beyond the type striking oint. p In the drawings herewith, Fig. I shows the plan view of a typewriter equipped with signal means conveniently embodying my invention, certain parts being broken away to disclose important underlying details;

Fig. II is a front View of the platen carriage.

Fig. III is a perspective view diagrammatically representing the various instrumentalities involved in the automatic actuation of the signaling means in accordance with my invention.

Fig. IV is a cross sectional view ofthe platen roll and associated parts of the electric signal system in the positions which they normally occupy; and,

Fig. V is a view similar to the immediately preceding one showing the parts in different positions.

With more detailed reference to the illus trations, indicates the platen carriage which is suitably guided and supported for longitudinal movement on the frame 11 of the typewriter, its progression being subject to suitable escapement mechanism (not shown) actuated when the letter keys 12 are successively depressed to control coordinated type bars 13 whereby the impressions are made upon the paper sheet on the platen roll 14, all in the usual manner. The machine also embodies appropriate mechanism (only partly illustrated) for feeding the ribbon 15 past the type striking point, as well as'a rotary tabulator 16, but these form the subjects of se arate patent applications and need not there 'ore be further discussed herein. At the back, the platen carriage 10 has a longitudinal rod 17 whereon is mounted a marginal stop 18 capable of adjustment along said rod to determine, at the proper time and as later on explained, operation .of a signal to notify the operative of the approach of a line end. As

a means to cooperate with the stop 18, in accordance with my invention I secure to the top of a vertical arbor 19 (Figs. I and III) a tappet 20 with its end lying in the path of said stop 18. The arbor 19 is supported for rocking or swiveling movement in a bracket 21 affixed toa fixed part 26 of the frame 11 of the machine, and, at a lower level, has fast to it a double-armed lever 22 which is infiuenced by a spring 23 engaging one end thereof, while its other extremity is operatively coupled with a rock lever 24 fulcrumed centrally at 25 to a fixed part 26 of the machine frame, see Fig. III. This rock lever 24, is made from di-electric material such as fiber, and at its lower end carries a metallic clip 27 with a flexible tongue 28 adapted to make contact with one of the terminal bindin posts 29 of a dry battery 30 lodged in a holder 31 within the typewriter frame 11. To a projection 32 of the clip 27 is soldered one end of a conductor 33, w iich has interposed in it an incandescent lamp 34;, that leads to the other binding post 35 of the battery 30, see Fig. III. The incandescent lamp 34 is placed in a conspicuous position so as to be readily seen, preferably at the right hand side of the front of the machine, as shown in Fig. I. Thus when the marginal stop 18 engages the tappet 20, the double arm 22 is swung clockwise in opposition to the spring 23; and, as a result of the movement imparted to the rock lever 24, the circuit through the battery 30 and lamp 34 is completed and the warning signal flashed for the purpose previously explained.

The signal means operative upon exhaustion of "the paper sheet S includes a detector having the form of a finger 36 that is pivoted at 37 centrally of a longitudinal bar 38 at the front end of the platen carriage 10. The detector finger 36, it will be noted from Figs. II, III andIV has a depending extension 39 which carries a piece of fiber 40 to insulate anappe'ndedhook41. Thishook4l cooperates with a bail42 fashioned from stout wire and which is freely suspended at opposite ends from insulatory bearing pieces'43 secured to the platen carriage 10 adjacent opposite ends of the bar 38. The bail 42 is adapted for bridgin contact plates 44, 45 forming the termina s of conductors 46, 47 extending respectively to the binding posts 29, 35 of the battery 30, the former of these conductors directly serving an incandescent lamp 48 which, as shown in Fig. I, is located at the front of the machine to the left. From Fig. IV it will be observed that the detector finger 36 by virtue of the appendages at its lower end, is so weighted that it normally rests against the paper sheet S on the platen roller 14. However, as the trailing end of the sheet S passes the detector finger 86, the upper end of the latter is flipped outward with the result that the bail 42 is swung into bridging contact with the terminal plates 44, 45. By attendant closure of the, circuit through the lam 48 the operative is warned by a silent visi le signal of the necessity for substituting a new sheet.

If desired in lieu of a single wiring system as herein shown, separate circuits with individual batteries may be employed in connection with the two si naling means.

Having thus descri ed my invention, I claim:

1. The combination in a typewriter em-' bodying a platen roller and carriage therefor; of signal means operative upon exhaustion of a paper sheet being typed including an actu-.

ating detector finger and co-operative pendulous member pivoted on the carriage and adapted to be outwardly flipped-to close an electric circuit through the signal means by the trailing end of the sheet incidental to terminal lpassage of the latter about the platen ro er.

2. The combination in a typewriter embodying a platen roller and carriage therefor, of signal means operative upon exhaustion of the paper sheet being typed including a de tector finger pivoted on the carriage and normally resting on the sheet of paper on the platen roller but adapted for trippage out-.

wardly by the trailing end thereof incidental I passage of said paper about the platen about the platen roller, a wire bail hung from the carriage in the path of movement of said detector finger, and a circuit through an electric signal device with terminal contacts adapted to be bridged by the bail aforesaid.

4: In a typewriter the combination of visi ble signal means including an actuating detector finger and associated pendulous member adapted to bridge spaced contacts in closing an electric circuit through the signal means as the sheet being typed nears exhaustion, and a partially rotatable tappet-actuble by the typewriter marginal stops-coordinated with a rock switch functional to close a shunt circuit in controlling line end approach.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylva- Ilia, this 25th day of October, 1926.

ROBIE SEIDELINGER.

r, and a bail element adapted to close a- 

